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The Book of the Shining Blood, also known as Euagetaematikon is the holy text of the Cainite Heresy.

Overview

The first of what could be called the an organized version of the Cainite Heresy established when a Byzantine monk wrote the Euagetaematikon after obtaining a copy of the Book of Nod. Knowing that under the eyes of Michael, the tome would not survive, the monk smuggeled it into the West, where it soon found followers who acted in secrecy.

According to some popular interpretations of the text, the Third Caine should enter the world in 1206, and remain in it for 33 years and then bring on Gehenna in 1239, when the Time of Thin Blood would begin. During this time, the Third Caine will walk the world and save those who share his blood.

The interpretations on the holy book of the Heresy may vary from heretic to heretic, but all have a common tenor: the divinity of those afflicted by the Curse of Caine in the tradition of the gnostic cults of the Roman Empire. Vampires, according to these teachings, are infused with divine pneuma, the essence of God himself, which is centered within their vitae. Further, the material world is a cage, created by the demiurg Ialdabaoth, the 30th Aeon of God. From a tiny rest of pneuma, Ialdabaoth created Adam. In order to free Adam from the rule of the Demiurg, the 14th Aeon, Sophia descended unto the world and became both Lilith and Eve, spirit and flesh.

From Lilith, Caine was born and from Eve, Abel was brought forth. When the two of them attempted to please Ialdabaoth with offerings, the demiurg rejected Caine out of jealousy of his spiritual nature. Thus, Caine slew his material twin, Abel. This induced God to mark Caine with his power and shared the gift of pneuma with him. But mankind rejected Caine and thus, Sophia pleaded God to send a Second Caine. And God sent Caine's spiritual twin Jesus Christ into the material world to teach mankind the holiness of shed blood, but Pilate made his sacrifice in vain, when he washed his hands in Christ's blood.

The Church that developed later is the Church of Pilate, not of Christ, and, as a result, true salvation can only be achieved by following the true teachings of Caine and destroy the false Church that exists today.

References

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